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Cole Sillinger • C • Blue Jackets

Cole Sillinger Re-Signs With Blue Jackets For Two Years

Columbus Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger has signed a two-year, $4.5 million deal with the team. The 21-year-old finally has his future sorted out after spending most of the summer as a restricted free agent. Despite his young age, Sullinger already has 220 games of NHL experience. He has registered 34 goals and 74 points while averaging close to 1.5 hits per game. Sullinger is projected to start the season on the third line and should be good for 30 points and 100-plus hits again.

Aug 22

Jordan Harris • D • Blue Jackets

Jordan Harris Sent To Columbus

The Columbus Blue Jackets have picked up defenseman Jordan Harris in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens. The 24-year-old blue-liner was sent to Ohio in exchange for Patrik Laine, with the Blue Jackets also receiving a 2026 second-round draft selection. After being named the Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman in 2022, Harris made 131 appearances with the Canadiens, posting 32 points (eight goals, 24 assists). Last season, he had three goals and 11 assists in 56 games, adding 86 blocks on the defensive end. Harris averages close to 1.5 blocks per game for his career but is fairly limited offensively, making him a non-factor in fantasy hockey.

Aug 20

Kent Johnson • C • Blue Jackets

Kent Johnson Fully Healthy Ahead Of New Season

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson has fully recovered from shoulder surgery ahead of training camp. "It's great," Johnson told Blue Jackets beat writer Jeff Svoboda of his rehab. "I got cleared 100 percent like almost a month and a half ago, like five weeks. I think I was pretty lucky. I had great people with the staff helping me. It was a really fast recovery and a good recovery, I think." A torn labrum in his left shoulder ended Johnson's season early in 2023-24, as the 21-year-old was limited to only 42 appearances. He registered six goals and 10 assists. Johnson recently signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets and is expected to fill a top-six role in the upcoming campaign.

Aug 1

Johnny Gaudreau • LW • Blue Jackets

Sean Monahan Excited To Reunite With Johnny Gaudreau

Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan is looking forward to reuniting with Johnny Gaudreau at his new club. The two former Calgary Flames players are teammates again after the Blue Jackets picked up Monahan on a five-year, $27.5 million contract in free agency. "I am really looking forward to being teammates with Johnny again," Monahan recently told NHLPA.com. "Johnny is motivated to have a big season and be a huge part of the team and I'm excited to have the opportunity to reignite the chemistry we had for close to a decade." Following some awful injury issues, Monahan returned to form in 2023-24 with a 59-point effort across 83 games split between Montreal and Winnipeg. His productivity could receive a further boost in the upcoming campaign if he rekindles his old magic with Gaudreau, who might also benefit from the partnership.

Jul 30

Patrik Laine • LW • Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine Cleared To Return From Players Assistance Program

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine (personal) has been cleared to return from the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program. He entered the program on Jan. 28 after making only 18 appearances in 2023-24. The former All-Star finished last season with six goals and nine points. While it's positive news that he has cleared the assistance program, Laine is still recovering from shoulder surgery, and it's unclear when he will be able to return to action. The Blue Jackets are reportedly working on a trade with Laine to give him a fresh start following a few injury-riddled campaigns in Columbus. A healthy Laine in a better situation could still be a major fantasy asset. The Finnish forward has tallied 204 goals and 388 points in 480 career games.

Jul 28

Kent Johnson • C • Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets Lock Up Kent Johnson For Three Years

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson has signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract extension with the team. The 21-year-old, who was a restricted free agent, will carry a $1.8 million cap hit with the deal. Despite his tender age, Johnson already has 130 NHL games under his belt. He boasts 22 goals and 59 points. Johnson registered 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 42 appearances in 2023-24 before his campaign was ruined by a shoulder injury. Blue Jackets Don Waddell expects Johnson to be "a very important part" of the club going forward. He is projected to start next season on the second line.

Jul 28

Kirill Marchenko • RW • Blue Jackets

Kirill Marchenko Agrees To Three-Year Extension With Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko signed a three-year, $11.55 million contract extension on Sunday. The 24-year-old was a restricted free agent after completing his entry-level contract. By coming to terms on a new deal, the two parties avoided a salary arbitration process. Getting an extension done with Marchenko is a big deal for Columbus after the Russian forward led the team with 23 goals last season. He added 19 assists across 78 outings to finish as the team's third top scorer behind Johnny Gaudreau and Zach Werenski. Marchenko has totaled 67 points (44 goals, 23 assists) in 137 career games. His role should only continue to grow on a rebuilding Blue Jackets team.

Jul 28

Yegor Chinakhov • RW • Blue Jackets

Yegor Chinakhov Re-Signs With Blue Jackets For Two Years

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Yegor Chinakhov has signed a two-year extension with the team. Coming off an entry-level deal that paid him $3.975 million across three years, Chinakhov will receive $4.2 million for his services through the next couple of campaigns. The 23-year-old went for 16 goals and 29 points in 53 games this season, missing the final 17 contests with an upper-body injury. Chinakhov, who boasts 56 points (27 goals, 29 assists) in 145 career games, has shown a good amount of upside and is set for a fresh start in Columbus next season following the firing of head coach Pascal Vincent.

Jun 21

Patrik Laine • LW • Blue Jackets

Patrik Laine Poised To Move On From Columbus

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Patrik Laine will likely suit up for a different team next season. According to NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, Laine is working with the Blue Jackets on a trade, adding that the Finnish star wants a "fresh start." Laine signed a four-year, $34.8 million extension with Columbus in 2022 after being acquired from Winnipeg a year earlier. However, the former All-Star has been plagued by injuries during his time in Ohio and skated just 18 times with the Blue Jackets in 2023-24. The 26-year-old entered the NHL/NHL Players' Association Player Assistance Program on Jan. 28 and remains in the program, according to LeBrun. Laine has tallied 204 goals and 388 points in 480 career games. He could still be a big piece for fantasy managers if he finds himself in a good situation team-wise and stays healthy.

Jun 13

Jet Greaves • G • Blue Jackets

Jet Greaves Making Fourth Straight Start Tuesday

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves will make his fourth consecutive start in Tuesday's regular-season finale against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes. The 23-year-old has been given a strong look down the home stretch of the regular season with Elvis Merzlikins sidelined with a lower-body injury (although returning to back up Tuesday). He's had a tough assignment playing behind a very poor Blue Jackets club as he owns a 3.55 goals-against average but also a solid .906 save percentage in eight games (seven starts), going 2-6-0 in that time. He could see an increased role next season with Merzlikins asking for a trade earlier this season and likely on the move this offseason.

Apr 16

Boone Jenner • C • Blue Jackets

Boone Jenner Practices Monday

Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner practiced on Monday for the first time since he and his wife, Maggie, announced that their son, Dawson, was stillborn. Jenner has missed the past six games but is an option for Tuesday's regular-season finale against the Carolina Hurricanes. A 2024 All-Star, Jenner has had a solid season that includes 22 goals and 35 points to go along with 155 shots, 119 hits, 74 blocked shots, and 28 penalty minutes across 58 games. The Blue Jackets have an outside shot at landing the first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft as they sit fourth-last in the NHL with 64 points and will remain in that spot at the end of the 2023-24 regular season.

Apr 15

Adam Fantilli • C • Blue Jackets

Adam Fantilli Practices Monday

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli practiced with the team for the first time since suffering a calf laceration on Jan. 28 against the Seattle Kraken. However, the rookie will not play in the team's final regular season game on Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Fantilli was originally given an eight-week timeline after Kraken forward Jared McCann's skate accidentally made contact with Fantilli's calf but will end up missing the final 33 games of the regular season. "I was trying to get back for anything that I could, it just wasn't quite there yet," Fantilli said on Monday. The 2023 third-overall pick's rookie season concludes with 12 goals and 27 points on 115 shots on goal through 49 contests.

Apr 15

Daniil Tarasov • G • Blue Jackets

Daniil Tarasov Injured Versus Islanders

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Daniil Tarasov sustained an upper-body injury in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Islanders. He came out of the contest after stopping 13 of 15 shots across 17:53 of action. With Elvis Merzlikins (lower body) already unavailable, Jet Greaves finished the task, allowing one goal on 25 shots. Greaves could now see quite a bit of action over the final stretch of the season, with his colleagues battling health issues. The 23-year-old carries a 1-3-0 record and has posted a good .917 save percentage despite allowing 3.04 goals.

Apr 5

Jake Bean • D • Blue Jackets

Jake Bean To Be Out "For A While"

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jake Bean (undisclosed) could be out for the rest of the season after getting hurt in Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Islanders. Bean exited the contest near the end of the game after blocking a shot. Blue Jackets head coach Pascal Vincent said postgame that the 25-year-old blue-liner would be out "for a while." Columbus finishes the campaign on April 16, giving Bean very little time to recover. The former AHL All-Star has made 72 appearances in 2023-24, posting 13 points (four goals, nine assists) with 110 blocks. Jake Christiansen is expected to be called up from the minors to take Bean's spot in the lineup.

Apr 5

Adam Fantilli • C • Blue Jackets

Adam Fantilli May Not Play Again This Season

Columbus Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli may not return to the lineup again this season due to a calf laceration suffered in a Jan. 28 game against the Seattle Kraken. The third-overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft has recorded 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games this season, quality numbers for a 19-year-old considering the Blue Jackets rank 26th with 2.84 goals per game on the season. Of course, there's no reason to rush the prized pivot back into the lineup considering the Blue Jackets sit 29th overall in the NHL with a 23-38-12 record, which is also good for last in the Eastern Conference.

Mar 30

Alexander Nylander • RW • Blue Jackets

Alexander Nylander Totals Three Points In Saturday's Win

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Alexander Nylander continued his prolific start to life in Ohio with a three-point performance in Saturday's 4-2 win over San Jose. He had a goal and an assist in the second period and also procured an empty-net goal late in the game. The younger brother of Toronto's All-Star William Nylander is now averaging exactly a point per game through his first 11 outings as a Blue Jacket. Eight of the points have come via goals. Nylander has a chance to score in a third consecutive contest as Columbus hosts Winnipeg on Sunday.

Mar 17

Adam Boqvist • D • Blue Jackets

Adam Boqvist Injured Versus Senators

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Adam Boqvist was limited to only 1:12 of ice time on Thursday versus Ottawa due to an upper-body injury. Boqvist has played a big role for Columbus lately, even seeing action on the first power-play unit, but it looks like he could be out for a bit again. Health issues have limited Boqvist to 35 appearances this season. He has scored once and had his ninth assist on Thursday. Kirill Marchenko replaced Boqvist on the top power-play unit against Ottawa, while the gap left on the first defensive pairing was filled by committee.

Mar 15

Yegor Chinakhov • RW • Blue Jackets

Yegor Chinakhov Hurt Versus Montreal

Columbus Blue Jackets winger Yegor Chinakhov couldn't complete Tuesday's contest against Montreal due to an upper-body injury. He left the action after seeing 4:47 of ice time. Chinakhov has been in a bad slump lately, but his season has gone well overall, with the 23-year-old tied for fifth in scoring on the team with 29 points (16 goals, 13 assists) through 53 appearances. Following Chinakhov's early exit, Alex Nylander logged a lot of time with the first line on Tuesday and could be the Russian's replacement again on Thursday versus Ottawa.

Mar 13

Alexander Nylander • RW • Blue Jackets

Alexander Nylander Nets Hat Trick In Win Over Vegas

Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Alexander Nylander had a dream night against the Golden Knights on Monday, scoring his first career hat trick in a 6-3 win over the Stanley Cup champions. He notched his first goal 13 minutes into the game, found the back of the net again early in the third period, and completed his three-goal game with an empty-netter. Nylander, who joined the team via a trade from Pittsburgh on Feb. 23, played in only his fifth game with the Blue Jackets. It's the fewest games a player has needed to score a hat trick for Columbus. After being stuck in the minors with the Penguins, Nylander has grabbed his opportunity to play regular NHL hockey with open arms. He boasts four goals and six points through his first few outings with his new club.

Mar 5

Kent Johnson • C • Blue Jackets

Kent Johnson Ruled Out For Rest Of Season

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson is set to have season-ending shoulder surgery, the team announced on Sunday. The news comes after Johnson suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder in a game against the Rangers earlier in the week. The 21-year-old, who was the fifth pick in the 2021 NHL draft, ends his sophomore campaign with six goals and 16 points in 42 games. Alexandre Texier has replaced Johnson on Columbus' third line.

Mar 3

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